﻿Meet The Author

Lachlan Waterman

​ABOUT THE AUTHORHello and welcome to the Kings of the Game website. This site gives you the opportunity to purchase my new book – Kings of the Game: leadership genius from premiership-winning coaches; sign up for our monthly newsletter, win FREE tickets to major sporting events, and participate in various written forums. I won’t insult your intelligence and pretend this is written by someone else in the third person. This is me ‘unplugged.’ Its 5 am W.A. time: The birds chirp a familiar chorus as I tap away at the keyboards. The coffee hits the spot immediately. I’m a classical ‘morning person’ capable of considerable focus in the early hours but not worth a cup full of cold water after sunset. A former professional runner in my home state of South Australia, I was once described in a country rag as a footballer ‘admired for his epidemic courage.’ Like most kids of our era, we grew up with an urgent tribal territorialism that was part of our DNA. My tribe was Glenelg. In those halcyon days, footballers and coaches were semi-professional and careers outside the game, but that didn’t diminish the quality of their work, if anything it enhanced it. Supporters could relate to their players and hung on every utterance their coach made. Larger-than-life, they were understood, respected, revered. The coach, Neil Kerley ruled with absolute authority; our Captain Peter Marker was a prominent lawyer, constable Brian Colbey patrolled the half back line, Magarey Medallist ‘Fred’ Phillis was the architect of of many wins from full-forward, while high-flying utility Graham Cornes always seemed destined for the bright lights of the media. The passion was unmistakable. Throngs of supporters gathered around the Tiger huddle at three quarter time each Saturday and wouldn’t dare usher a murmur as Kerley aimed to inspire, exhort, persuade, bully and cajole Glenelg to victory. Well before the internet explosion, I used to keep clippings, Football programs, magazines and articles and store them in a concertina file marked A to Z. This became the genesis for Kings of the Game. While the premierships came early as a player, I’m still chasing the elusive silverware as a coach. My 21 year coaching odyssey has spanned across three states; punctuated with a five year hiatus where I ran my own sports marketing company – responsible for raising $3.5 million to ensure the largest ever squad for the Australian Paralympic team in Beijing. The coaching ‘bug’ soon returned, spending four seasons with East Fremantle in the WAFL. Again, close but no cigar. The Sharks made a Grand Final in 2012 and endured a heart-breaking five point loss to Subiaco in the 2014 preliminary Final. Along the way I received a Bachelor of Applied Science (Sport Coaching & Admin) at Deakin University, hold Level 3 accreditation and Level 2 in Cricket where I coached at Scotch College in Adelaide and Caulfield Grammar in Melbourne. Kings of the Game is based on twenty years of meticulous research – a labour of love – my ‘finest hour’ if you like. I have been incredibly lucky to have networks, contacts and hopefully, lifetime friends all over Australia. In particular, I have received unconditional love and support from the inspirational Irene Emetlis. Musically, I am still stuck in the eighties, although I do like Birds of Tokyo and Imagine Dragons. A famous write once penned: …’time is short, my strength is limited. The office is a horror, the apartment is noisy, and if a straightforward life is not possible, then one must try to wriggle through to subtle manoeuvres.’ Here’s to the wriggle…